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Surfing an I/O

I already know the answer to this question, but I'm trying to load more bullets into my gun for the discussion with my buddy who just picked up an 18ft FourWinns I/O and wants to surf it. I don't think he could load it up enough to actually surf it, but, I have a feeling he will try. I assure you that I've explained to him how bad of an idea this actually is.

The only thing he has going in his favor is that his swim platform is very large and completely covers and possibly extends a few inches past the lower unit. He's certain that nothing bad can actually come from this and I haven't surfed enough to know if you could fall forward under the deck in a strange scenario. I could foresee if the driver stopped or slowed suddenly and the rider falling forward.

I've offered to pull him, but he's on a neighboring lake and would likely would still try it. Got any other suggestions?

Surfing an I/O

Exactly, some jack wad cut across our bow at Shasta last year, we had no choice but to cut power. Shasta is a big lake and why a guy running 25-30mph in a 2001 Nautique (no rider in tow) cut us off while running 10mph with a ropeless rider I will never understand. Our rider crashed into the back of the boat. The other boat had left the shore line and come into our path. He proceeded to let us know he'd been doing this for 20 plus years, knew everything, and it was our fault. I invited him to the shore to discuss him almost severely injuring our ropeless rider and lack of sympathy or seriousness of what would have happened had we not stopped. He declined. That is as mad as I have ever been in the water, I do believe I made my point to him. However had we been in an I/O the rider would have been maimed or worse.

Maybe it would seem impossible to fall down onto the prop. But EXACTLY like Jake is describing - you never expect to fall like that or have the boat stop all of a sudden or a guy cut you off point blank or...

Kinda like surfing with the platform off. No thanks.

The years have been kind, it's the weekends that have done the damage.

it's happened on my boat and we all know what happens when you get too much speed coming down the face and either land on the platform or run into the back of the boat. I had one guy fall as he was coming down and pushed the board under the platform a little. can't imagine what would happen if the prop contacted the board and shot fiberglas everywhere or threw it back into the rider that had just wiped out.

find some gory body+prop shots and show them to his family. people like him are what give the law ammunition to ban the sport on lakes...

Tell him it's "illegal" to surf behind an I/O and you will have to call the cops on him. If he lets kids do it, it's child endangerment and they'll take the kids away. Tell him I'll take him surfing or you will or Ed G will but not to surf behind his I/O.

I have seen some sort of prop guard for I/O boats advertised before as a solution for making surfing safe behind an I/O. It looked like a plastic grate over the face of the prop. It still sounds dangerous but if your buddy is that bull headed about trying it, maybe he can atleast do that.

Re: Surfing an I/O

Not to play devils advocate, well maybe a little but has anyone here seen or heard (even second hand) of any real accidents with a surfer and and I/O? I would certainly stray away from surfing behind one mostly to because the lack of quality but everyone on the boards says its crazy, dangerous, and you're almost certain to be injured.
People have been doing it for years, and by years I mean 40-50 years.
Realistically if you think of having to stop the boat quickly the water will instantly surround the out drive protecting the board and rider. Unless the rider just happens to dive at the moment the boat stops. Even in that case the same injuries would be sustained from an inboard. Is there a higher risk with an I/O... yes but not by much.
Just like the other thread about the break away tower/rope connection. Its happens on occasion, but if you think about how many injuries are attributed to ropes compared to how many people using a rope on any given day its a very small percentage.
It would take a pretty crazy set of circumstances for someone to be mamed or killed by either.
Inboard companies got on the bandwagon because its money in their pocket, boat sales.
I certainly don't want to start a pissing match and I know many of you may disagree and thats certainly ok, but I just wanted to put that out there as food for thought.
I just want to let people see a different perspective.
Listen... I've done about every imaginable thing (smart or not, mostly not) one can do behind a boat and surfing behind an I/O is probably in the top 25% of the safest things. Lol.